1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasound image diagnosis apparatus and an apparatus and method for processing an image display thereof, and more particularly to an ultrasound image diagnosis apparatus and method that can automatically search for a cardiac diastolic end period image and a cardiac systolic end period image, the searched cardiac diastolic end period image appearing just following the searched diastolic end period image, and to display such images in parallel on a screen.
2. Discussion of the Background
An ultrasound image diagnosis apparatus transmits ultrasound through ultrasound transducers installed in an ultrasound probe to an object, such as a patient, and receives reflected ultrasound due to differences of acoustic impedances of the object's organs so as to display the image of the organ on a monitor.
Since an ultrasound image diagnosis apparatus can easily obtain and observe two dimensional images in a real time by simply contacting an ultrasound probe to a patient body surface, it is widely used as an apparatus for diagnosing functions or status of a cardiologic organ, such as a heart in a patient's body.
To diagnose an organ in cardiology, in particular to diagnose functions of a heart, it is usual to make observations comparing two images, one of a diastolic end period that shows the most expanded status of the heart and one of a systolic end period that shows the most contracted status of a patient's heart, respectively. To perform such an image comparison, an observer needs to operate a panel so as to display the diastolic end period image and the systolic end period image on the same screen as a dual display.
Usually, an ultrasound image diagnosis apparatus includes a memory unit for storing obtained ultrasound images, i.e., diagnosis images, through an ultrasound probe in a time series. A plurality of ultrasound images stored in a memory unit can be read out by an optional selection. However, to acquire a dual display of a systolic end period image and an diastolic end period image of a heart, it has been conventional to search for and select a systolic end period image and diastolic end period image among a plurality of images stored in a memory unit. That operation is time and labor consuming for an operator or an inspector.
To diagnose cardiac functions, it has recently been proposed to synchronize ultrasound images with electrocardiogram data obtained through an electrocardiograph. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-79006 proposes a synchronized displaying method for displaying a B mode image with electrocardiogram data. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-73850 proposes another method for displaying successive images by synchronizing with electrocardiogram data that is separately obtained from the ultrasound images. Further, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-344370 proposes a method for measuring corresponded phases of ultrasound images of a cardiac diastolic period and systolic period by detecting a heart cycle.